On November 13, the 14th Civil Division of the Suwon District Court in Gyeonggi Province, presided over by Chief Judge Moon Hyun Ho, ruled partially in favor of FromBio, a health supplement company that had filed a damages lawsuit against Kim Soo Hyun and others.
In its ruling, the court ordered, “The defendants shall jointly and severally pay FromBio 1,159,894,000 won, along with delayed-payment interest.” The interest on the principal amount will be calculated at an annual rate of 5% from October 13, 2021, through November 11 of this year, and at 12% annually from the following day until the amount is paid in full.
The court also ruled that FromBio, the plaintiff, must bear 70% of the litigation costs, while Kim Soo Hyun and the other defendants will be responsible for the remaining 30%.
The legal dispute stemmed from an advertising model contract signed in 2024. At the time, FromBio selected Kim Soo Hyun as the face of its brand. However, after controversies surrounding his private life escalated uncontrollably the following year, the company claimed that its brand image had been seriously damaged and that it had suffered substantial losses. It filed the lawsuit on May 16 last year.
The controversy began when allegations emerged that Kim Soo Hyun had been in a relationship with the late Kim Sae Ron while she was still a minor. Kim Soo Hyun’s side has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that he began dating Kim Sae Ron only after she became an adult.
The central issue in court was whether the controversy constituted a violation of the “obligation to maintain dignity” stipulated in the advertising contract.
During the trial, Kim Soo Hyun’s side firmly argued, “Unverified allegations or speculative reports alone cannot be grounds for recognizing a breach of contract.” However, the court accepted some of the advertiser’s arguments and acknowledged the defendants’ liability for damages.
Sources: Nate